Aeroplane



G. PLOGER April 15, 1930.

AEROPLANE Filed July 20, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 r1 venio r 1 22991 M p 1930. G. PLOGER 1,755,022

AEBOPLANE Filed July 20, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV PLOGER, OF DELL, MONTANA.

AEROPLAN E Application filed July 20, 1929. Serial No. 379,729.

The present invention relates to newand useful improvements in aeroplanes and has pprticular reference to the propulsion there- 0 The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved form of propelling mechanism for aeroplanes, by means of which the same may be caused to travel forwardly or in a substantially vertical direction or at any inclined plane between the horizontal and vertical.

More particularly the invention comprises an aeroplane includin a fuselage having an air chamber formed tierein and open at its bottom and with a pair of paddle wheels mounted at the opposite sides of said pocket for forcing air within the same to produce a lifting force therefrom.

The invention also includes means to regulate the force derived through the use of said paddle wheels whereby to direct such driving force in a manner to propel the fuselage forwardly or to retard the forward movement thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character of a simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in performance, compact and readily adapted to be installed as a part of the construction of the average aeroplane, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention proceeds and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view also with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view. v

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the air control means for the paddle wheels.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one of the paddle wheels and Figure 6 is an end elevational view of one of the blades thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

and wherein for the purpose of illustration is disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates generally the fuselage of an aeroplane having the carriage 6 for mounting the same upon a pair of wheels 7 and with its rear end provided with a tail skid 8.

At each side of the fuselage are supported wings 9 of hollow construction and with their inner and outer edges open to admit air for movement longitudinally of the wings, the passage of the air therethrough being controlled by a valve 10 positioned at the outer edges of the wings.

The fuselage is formed with an air pocket 11, open at its bottom as more clearly illusvtrated in Figure 3 and positioned immediately rearwardly of the cockpit 12. Within the air pocket is arranged a pair of upwardly diverging partition members 13, whereby to form individual pockets at each side of the fuselage. A drive shaft 14 is journaled in the partitions with its central portions mounting a motor 15, for driving the shaft and with the outer ends of said shaft having paddle Wheels 16 mounted thereon for rotation with the shaft.

Each of the paddle wheels is provided with a plurality of blades 17 angularly disposed and with their side and end edges snugly fitted within an annular tunnel 18. The central portion of the tunnel 18 is open as shown at 19, whereby to admit air from the upper and lower sides of the wings into the air pockets at the opposite sides of the fuselage. The inner walls of the tunnels 18 are also open so that the air may be forced by the blades against the inclined sides of the partitions 13 of the air pocket. By reason of the upward and outward inclination of the partitions, the air driven against the sides thereof will produce a lifting effect upon the fuselage and thus serve to raise the same above the ground.

The admission of air into the opening 19 of each of the tunnels may be controlled by means of a valve like member 30 composed of a pair of spaced sides 31, connected by an end section 32. the side 31 being disposed outwardly at each of the side walls'of the tunnel,

and the end section 32 being arcuately constructed so as to permit the movement of the valve member about the axis of the shaft 14. The sides 30 of the valvemember converge toward the center of the tunnel member and are provided with bearings 33 for rotatably supporting the same upon the shaft 14:. An arm 34 extends from the inner side of the valve member to which the rod 35 is attached for operation by a lever 36, associated with a quadrant 37 mounted with the cockpit 12 of the fuselage. The forward ends of the rods 35 are connected by a transverse rod38 so as to provide for the simultaneous and uniform operation of the valve members upon the operation of the lever 36.

It will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 1 that through the movement of the valve members 30, the amount of air admitted to the forward or rear side of the air tunnels will be controlled and through this action, the air pressure created by the blades of the paddles may be directed toward the forward or rear portion of the respective air pockets or chambers and produce an influence thereon for urging the fuselage forwardly or for retarding its forward movement.

An air pipe 39 is providedwithin the rear portion of the fuselage, having 1ts forward end forked as shown at 40 and extendlng into the opposite air tunnels for receiving air therefrom and with its rear end opened as at 41, for discharging air against the rudder 42. The passage of air through the pipe 39 is controlled by a valve 43, having a control rod 44 extending through the cock pit 12.

Changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an air compartment formed therein opening through one wall of the fuselage, air compressiOn chambers at opposite sides of the fuselage having pressure generating means operatively mounted therein, said chambers having communication with the interior of the air compartment, and means in the compartment against which the air is driven for producing a lifting effort upon the fuselage.

2. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an air compartment formed therein opening through one wall of the fuselage, air compression chambers at opposite sides of the fusclage having pressure generating means opcratively mounted therein, said chambers having communication with the interior of the air compartment, means within the compartment against which the air is driven for producing a lifting effort upon the fuselage, and means for controlling admission of air into the air compartment for directing the air with respect to the last named means whereby to exert a forward or rearward influence upon the fuselage.

3. An aeroplane comprisin a fuselage, an air compartment formed t erein opening through one wall of the fuselage, air compression chambers at opposite sides of the fuselage having pressure generating means operatively mounted therein, said chambers having communication with the interior of the air compartment, means within the compartment against which the air is driven for producing a lifting efiort upon the fuselage, and a pivoted blade for controlling the admission of air into the compartment for di recting the air with respect to said last named means whereby to exert a forward or rearward influence upon the fuselage.

4. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an air compartment formed therein opening at the bottom and through the opposite side walls of the fuselage, annular air compression chambers formed about the edges of the openings in said side walls, paddle wheels operatively mounted within said air compression chambers for forcing air inwardly through the openings in the side walls of the fueslage, and partitions arranged within said air compartments extendl .g longitudinally of the fuselage and upwardly and outwardly toward the opposite sides thereof whereby to exert a lifting effort upon the fuselage by the air forced against said artition.

5. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an air compartment formed therein opening at the bottom and through the opposite side walls of the fuselage, annular air compression chambers formed about the edges of the openings in said side walls, operatively mounted within said air compression chambers for forcing air inwardly through the openings in the side walls of the fuselage, and partitions arranged within said air compartments extending longitudinally of the fuselage and upwardly and outwardly toward the opposite sides thereof whereby to. exert a lifting effort upon the fuselage by the air forced against said partition, and means for controlling the admission of air through the openings in said side walls, whereby to exert a forward or rearward influence upon the fuselage.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

GUSTAV PLOGER.

paddle wheels I 

